The Hindu 17.09.2010
Walkout from Tuticorin Corporation council meeting
Staff Reporter 
EXCLUSION:CPI(M) councillor D.Raja arguing at Tuticorin Corporation Council meeting on Thursday. —
Tuticorin: Communist Party of India (Marxist) Councillor D. Raja staged a walkout from an emergency council meeting of Tuticorin Municipal Corporation here on Thursday over the exclusion of five rural panchayats from the corporation limits.
The objection came in the wake of an announcement by Mayor R. Kasthuri Thangam, who presided over the meeting, that Korampallam, Maapilaiyoorani, Mulakkaadu, Pudurpandiapuram and Aiyanadaippu had been delinked from the corporation in the large interest of villagers.
If these panchayats were maintained within corporation limits, the residents would lose plenty of opportunities for availing a series of welfare assistance under Kalaignar Housing Scheme, Mahatma Gandhi Rural Employment Guarantee Programme and Total Sanitation Programme.
Moreover, these panchayats were located 12 km from the corporation, the Mayor pointed out.
Mr. Raja said that the corporation passed a resolution adding ten rural panchayats. On March 17, 2010, the Corporation had formally announced the inclusion of these panchayats but the authorities had failed to implement the decision.
Only rural panchayats of Sankaraperi, Tuticorin Rural, Muthaiyapuram, Aththimarapatti and Milavittan had been brought under the corporation limits.
